Flange-curling machine for can-covers.



1. BRENZINGER.

FLANGE CURLING MACHINE FOR CAN COVERS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 8.1911.

1 ,287,207. Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

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FLANGE CURLING MACHINE FOR CAN COVERS. APrLlcATlo'N FILED JUNE 8.1917.

1,287,207. Patented Dec. 10, 1918.

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FLANGE CURLING MACHINE FOR CAN CQVEBS.

` APPLICATION FILED JUNE IBI?.

Patented Dea. 1 0, 1918.

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OFFICE.

JULIUS BRENZINGER, OF FAIRFIELD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO SANITARY CAN MACHINERY COMPANY, 0F ELLSWORTI-I, MAINE, A CORPORATION 0F MAINE.

FLANGE-CURLING MACHINE FOR CAN-COVERS.

Application led I une 8, 1917. Serial No. 173,491.

To aZZ whom t may concern: I

Be it known that I, JULIUs BRENZINGER, a. citizen of the United States, residing at Fairfield, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flange- Curling Machines for Can-Covers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to metal bending machines, with more particular reference to machines for turning or bending portions only of the edge of the flange with which a can top or cover of a certain type is provided, having still more particularly in mind the tops or covers for what are known as square cans.

Can heading machines are now more generally providedor equipped with appurtenances for automatically positioning a cover on a filled can in transit and delivering the assembled parts to the seaming mechanism, These so-called assembling and feeding devices or appurtenances usually necessitate the stacking of the covers, the bottom or lowerniost cover of the stack being withdrawn for delivery to and positioning on each can-body as the latter passes to the seaming mechanism. Covers having flat or substantially fiat-flanges will. nest so closely when stacked that it would be practically impossible to repeatedly pass a separating or feeding tool between the bottom cover and the one next above the same in the assembling operation. In connection with the so-called round cans, it was found that the entire edge of the flange might be satisfactorily so bent or turned down in thev die-stamping operation by which the cover was formed as tonot only have the effect of slightly spacing apart the covers when stacked, and thus make possible the Withdrawal of the bottom cover, but also facilitate and improve the action of the seaming rollers.

' In connection with so-called square cans, however, in spite of the fact that the corners of these cans are rounded, it will be apparent that the action of the stamping dies on the metal along the straight edges of the cover differs materially from their action on the metal at the rounded corners.` In one case the operation is merely that of bending,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dee. 1o, 1918.

While in the other account must be taken of the necessary flow of metal due to the reduction of surface area. It was found, thereforethat when the entire edge of the flange of asquare can cover was turned down in the die-stamping operation, apart from the fact that the dies lWere necessarily expensive both in original cost and in cost of maintenance, the turned-down portion of the 'flange was lacking in uniformity to a degree which made it impossible to depend upon anything like the uniformly successful production of a practically perfect seam by the seaming mechanism. On this account, packers have been vinclined to insist upon the provision of fiat-flange square can covers, but here, again, arises the difficulty heretofore referred to, of providing automatic assembling and feeding devices for can heading machines which will successfully operate when the covers nest in superposed arrangement, as they necessarily must do if the flanges are flat.

I have found that if the substantially straight portions only ofthe edge of the flange on opposite sides of a square can top or cover are bent or turned down-particularly the edges of the longer sides, for these cans and covers are almost invariably oblong rather than squarethe desirable spacing apart of the stacked covers is provided for without to the slightest extent impairing the seaming operation. In a copending application, filed of even date herewith, Serial No. 173,490, I show and describe a square can top or cover the edge of the flange of which is curled or longitudinally bent or turned throughout 'the straight portions only on opposite sides of the cover to.form depending lips which serve to prevent the nesting of the covers when stacked but which do not interfere in any Way with practically perfect operation of the lseaming rollers of a heading machine. The principal object of the present invention is a provislon of a machine for automatically performing this operation of bending or turning portions only of the flange-edge in the production of a can coversubstantially like the one shownand -described in my co-pending ap'- plication, aforesaid.

My invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specificaers, illustrating the various steps of the forming or bending operation;

Fig. 8 is an edge View of the can cover prior to the shaping of portions of the iiange thereof in the machine of my invention;

Fig. 9 is a similar view of the sanne after the flange-bending or shapingv operation, and

Fig. 10 is a. fragmentary plan view of' Fig. 9.

Referring nonY to the drawings in det-ail, I prefer that the ordinary flat-flanged covers 11 be fed into the machine by gravitj/and I therefore mount the bending or forming mechanisms together with their actuating means upon an inclined frame 12 which includes the cover-feed chute 13 and discharge chute 14, rendering the degree or angle of inclination variably adjustable by vpivoting the frame 12 as a whole upon a stationary shaft 15 mounted in the top of the standard 16 having` a heavy supportlng base 17. This tiltable frame 12 is releasably Secured in any one of various selective angles of inclination by means of alcurved arin 18 extending from the lower end of the frame and provided with a slot 19 through which passes a stud 20 on said standard threaded at its end for the reception of the clamping nut 21 acting against said arrn 18 through the washer 22.

Journaled in the opposite side plates 23 and 24 of the frame 12 are the axles of a lurality of pairs of iange-bending or turning rollers. The chutes 13 and 14 are in alinement, and the pairs of rollers therebetween are so relatively positioned as to receive each cover 11 from the chute 13, operate upon the same in a manner about to be described, and .discharge it upon the chute 14 for conveyance by ravity to such destination as may be desire l have concluded that for best and expeditious results three pairs of these rollers should be employed-not including a pair of transversely arranged idler rollers, which will be hereinafter described-but. it will be apparent that a Igreater or less number of pairs might be employed, if desired, without departing from the spirit of my invention. Therefore, for thepurposes of this description, l have shown the frame 12 as carrying what 66 may be termed first operation rollers 25 Laarne? and 25 (Fig: 4), second operation rollers 26 and 26 (Fig. 5), finishing rollers 63 and 64 (these rollers being identical and one thereof being shown in detail in Fig. 6), and discharging or ejecting rollers 28 and 28 (Fig. 7).

1t will be apparent that these rollers may be mounted, adjusted and driven in many diderent and mechanically approved Ways. l prefer, however, to provide a plurality of driven shafts journaled at both ends in suitable bearing blocks which are slidable vertically (considering the frame as horizontally disposed) in slots or ways in the side plates 23 and 24, whereby each lower roller may be properly positionally adjusted and the npper rollers of the pair spring-pressed thereagainst. Therefore, the lower roller 25 of the first operation pair isv keyed or otherwise suitably secured upon a shaft 29 which is journaled at one end in the bearing-bloek 30 in the slot or way 31 4in the plate 23, and at the other end in a counterpart bearingblock in the slot or way 32 in the plate 34. rlhe upper roller 25 of this pair is similarly keyed or otherwise secured upon the shaft 33 which is journaled at one end in the bearing-block 34 in the, slot or way' 31 and at the other end in the bearing-block 35 in the slot or way 32.

Similarly, the lower roller 26 of the see ond operation pair is secured upon the driven shaft 36 which is journaled at both ends in identical bearing-blocks in the slots or ways 37 and 38 in the plates 23 and 24, respectively, while the upper rollers 26 of this pair is secured upon the shaft 46 jour-` naled in the blocks 41 and 42 in the saine slots or ways. rli`he discharge or ejecting rollers 28 and 28 are similarly mounted upon the driven shafts 43 and 44, respectively, and these shafts are correspondingly journaled in identical bearing-blocks inthe slots 0r ways 45 and 46 in the plates 23- and 24.

rFhe upper ends of the slots or ways 3i, 37 and 45 in the plate 23 are closed by the bar 47, suitably bolted to said plate, and ,the upper ends of the slots" or ways 32, 38 and 46 in the plate 24 are closed by the bar 48, suitably bolted te this plate. l may there fore interpose between all of the upper bearing-blocks and these bars 47 and 48 coilsprings 49, 49, whereby the upper rollers of the pairs may be spring-pressed against the lower rollers thereof. i

All of these rollers may be provided with integral hubs 50 50, or these parts 50 50 may be spacing sleeves interposed between the ends of the rollers proper and the bearingblocks.

@n one end of the stationary shaft 15 is rotatively mounted the pulley 51, adapted to he driven in the usual manner from any suitable source of power. This pulley may be ire provided with a hub 52 upon which is keyed or otherwise suitably secured a gear 53. This gear 53 meshes with gears 54 and 55 on the shafts 29 and 36, respectively, l

which respectively mesh with gears 56 and 57 on the shafts 33 and 40. The gear 55 also meshes with an idler gear 58 which, in turn, meshes with the gear 59 on the shaft 43, the latter being in mesh with the gear 60 on the shaft 44. These same diameter and pitch, it is obvious that if the operative portions of the rollers are of the same diameter-as is the case-they will rotate at the same velocity land in a manner to operate upon an interposed cover and advance the sameto final ejection upon the chute 14.

In Figs. 4, 5 and 7, I have attempted to show in detail the preferred conguration of one end of each of the rollers to which I4 have referred, and it is to be understood that the ends of each of these rollers are opposite counterparts. All of the pairs of rollers are so formed and end-flanged as to act only against the flanges on opposite sides of the cover 11. As shown in Fig. 4, the ends of the first operation rollers 25 and 25 are so formed as to coperate to slightly turn or start the curling of the edge of the flange on each of two opposite sides of the cover. The cover is then passed between the pair' ol' second operation rollers 26 and 26', the ends of which are so formed, as shown in Fig. 5, as to enhance or accentuate the bend, bringing the same to substantially rectangular configuration.

Projecting inwardly from the side plates 23 and 24 of the frame 12, and suitably positioned, are the brackets 61 and 62 carrying the transversely disposed rollers 63 and 6l, respectively. These rollers are idlers and are identical in all respects, one thereof being shown in Adetail in Fig. 6. Each of these rollers 63 and 64 includes a straight portion 65 and a beveled portion 66, forming therebetween an annular and preferably angular groove which receives the bent flange-edge to straighten-for, possibly, slightly inturn--and true the same.- From the rollers 63 and 64 the now finished cover 67 (Fig.

9) with the depending lip 68 on each of the longer sides thereof, is passed to the discharging or ejecting rollers 28 and 28', the ends of which are formed to engage the remaining flat portions of the edge-curled flange of the cover (Fig. 7) and deliver said gears being allof thel cover to the chute 14 whereon it is conveyed by gravity to a suitable receptacle or lto other mechanisms, as may be desired. v

I prefer to make the horizontally disposed rollers hollow and mount Vthem upon driven shafts in order that they may be readily removed from the frame and rollers of differentdimensions substituted therefor. In this manner, and by substituting chutes of different widths, my machine may be easily and readily adapted to turn the flanges of covers for cans ofvvarious dimensions.

any `modifications of minor details of my improvedA flange curling machine for can covers will doubtless readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art to which it appertains, and I therefore do not desire to limit my invention to the s ific construction herein shown and descri ed.

I clailnfas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a flange-curling machine for socalled square can covers, with means `for directing a continuously flanged cover into the machine, of a series of pairs of driven rollers acting successively upon the flange edge on two opposite sides only of the cover and coperating to curl or longitudinally bend said flange portions, a

pair ofdriven rollers similarly loperative to` eject the nished cover, and a pair of idler finishing rollers interposed between vsaid bending rollers .and said ejecting rollers.l

2. In a flange-curling machine for socalled square can covers, the combination,

- with means for directing a continuously flanged cover into the machine, of a series of pairs of driven rollers cessively operate upon the flange edge on two opposite sides only of the cover and the rollers of each pair coperating to curl or longitudinally ybend said portions of 'the flange, a pair of driven rollers similarlyy op-A erable to eject the finishedgcover, and a pair 'of rectangularly disposed idler rollers, one

on each side of the cover, interposed between said curling or bending rollers and said ejecting4 rollers.

In testimony of the foregoing, I havev hereunto set my hand'inthe presence of two witnesses.

' J ULIUS BRENZINGER.

Witnesses:

HENRY C. BURRoUeHs, ANNA DICK BERNSTEIN.

the combination,

end-flanged to suc- 

